He cant be on the pit box. "We had five guys," Hendrick said. The reality is what we needed and should have done was if you get the front row, stay, and it just didnt get articulated correctly.. The celebrity his starsign is Cancer and he is now 73 years of age. It is a close-up of Ricky, holding an American flag, looking upward, likely during the national anthem at a NASCAR event. While walking through the building one day, Hendrick swore Ricky's eyes in that photo followed him. And he really couldn't believe he had missed it. All four HMS drivers -- Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne -- showed up. Then you blame the sport. "The guys on his team took this trailer, fixed it up like this, a real tribute to Ricky, and gave it to me.". We just unloaded, and we were fast from the get-go., "The most important race we've ever won -- the highlight of our racing career.". Hendrick left Homestead and flew to Key West to get away. Hendrick Motorsports has scheduled a press conference for 12 p.m. top teams. When Kyle Busch, who was second, pitted, Hamlin could have stayed out and restarted on the front row. It's the first track he ever attended with his father. In 2004, nearly 40 years later, he was back in the attic, going through his childhood home after his father's death. He's an executive now, but Hendrick describes a man laying chalk lines in the dirt around a wrecked late-model racer before they cut it in half and spent all night welding it back together so they could tow it back to the South Boston Speedway and crash it again. A decision to pit before the first overtime restart put Hamlin in position to win the Coca-Cola 600 last month. When modern race fans visit HMS, the new buildings are all they see. The faces of two are unmistakable. Hendrick Motorsports' plane crash takes lives Hendrick. After doing so, he became the youngest Chevrolet dealer in the United States. It's amazing when you look at the record since then. "All I see is that kid with that fishing rod. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. "I'd promised my wife I'd go to a church service with our children. '", "It gets easier," he said. Among the items kept in the massive facility is a nondescript set of engine parts. Now that we dont have him with us anymore, that race is even more of a treasure, Linda Hendrick said. "I really do. It's all about folks bonding together and needing each other and working together. "When I see Rick I don't see all of that. Allmendinger said the new car has given teams like Kaulig a better chance of competing. His son, too, had died. Hendrick's influence increased sales to make the once troubled location become the region's most profitable. Washington, DC 20004, Please see Henderick Motorsports statement, WS: Irwindale II: Scott Gaylord race notes, Dixon didnt have the pace to fight for Laguna win, Dixon didnt have pace in Laguna This was about the time father and son had planned for Rick to step aside in a lesser semi-retired role and hand the company to his son. Papa Joe Hendrick award event: Papa Joe and Mary T. Hendrick with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and their family. I used to tell people how bad I felt when they lost a child. "And they work so hard. He has endured unimaginable success at the racetrack and The Georgia native is NASCARs five-time fan-voted most popular driver. Sonoma, I was at best 11th or 12th. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. And you come back. Randy Dorton was on the plane. losing key people in the organization including Terry Labonte's crew When the drivers called me and said, Man, Im so excited I get to drive the 17, that makes me feel good., The weekend got off to a good start. Trackhouse Racing enters Road America as the early favorite after Ross Chastain won at Circuit of the Americas and teammate Daniel Suarez won at Sonoma in the only two road course races this year. Then all of a sudden, I wanted to call every one of them back and say, Look, I really didnt understand. "I read somewhere, if you had a choice to forget all the pain, you'd never have to think about it again, if you never knew him -- would you rather have him for that period and have the pain, or never have him at all and have no pain? "And I really believe if you don't have any faith or a lot of friends and family -- and my family is huge, because of these folks, here. The race is scheduled to take the green flag at 9:13 p.m. One was Rick Afterward, Hendrick opened a small used-car lot with Mike Leith. miss four events that year. Hendrick, Rick's son; John Hendrick, and the 22-year-old twin daughters After Hamlin pitted, 10 cars did not. He is best known as the owner of the NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports. "Ken said, 'Where are you right now?'" The key to success in any endeavor is people, said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group. "He said they'd found the wreck And there were no survivors " Hendrick said. Joe served as advisor in 1984 when Rick took his ragtag All-Star Racing team, the men working out of that shed, to Florida for the Daytona 500. And if we didn't have the character and the chemistry we have here it would have all fallen apart. Team owner Rick Hendrick told The Associated Press that Elliott was just out of surgery and it went well. Hendrick gave no additional details about Elliotts condition or the accident. He grew up loving the place. John Hendrick remained with his brother as they led Hendrick Motorsports He says that anyone who can't remember the team's roots has to look no further than the men who are still on the payroll dating back to the days in that tiny shop. One of those photographs is from July 2001, when Ricky won the Craftsman Truck Series race at Kansas Speedway. I'm supposed to be the leader here and be strong.". To see him sitting up there, where Ive seen a lot of my guys sit, and watched press conferences, but to stand in the back of the room and seeing something like an inaugural Truck (win), him achieving what he did. She said, 'Oh, you didn't hear? rick hendrick grandchildren When Ricky died, he was just 24 years old. WebNASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick lost his senior management groupand his sonin a 2004 plane crash. I don't want to run from anything. Elliott is a second-generation driver and the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott. Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture, F1 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying Start time, how to watch, channel, F1 Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying Start time, how to watch, channel We would not let their dreams die, but instead to go out and take it to the world. More importantly to Hendrick at the time, Hyde had the parts, the cars, cheap labor, and a shop to work in. "I went in the back door, and I walked in, and the first person I made eye contact with was Jeff Gordon. The team built by Richard Petty and his father dates back to NASCAR's inaugural Sprint Cup (then Strictly Stock) event, on June 19, 1949. in the process of mourning the loss of their loved ones and friends who retirement at an early age due to a race-related injury, was being Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, his company had a revenue in excess of US$3.5 billion in 2009, after selling 100,000 vehicles and servicing 1.5 million, and is the sixth-largest dealership in the United States. The Hendrick Family Foundation will continue to work with Be The Match. That's where the idea of this Heritage Center started.". Its been something that I think our family and our organization can still celebrate with that paint scheme, that number and what Ricky meant to us, Rick Hendrick told NBC Sports a few days after Fathers Day. Rick Hendrick That's who Rick Hendrick is. It was Hendrick Motorsports vice president Ken Howes. 17 truck to the front multiple times throughout the day, taking the lead for the final time with 24 laps to go. Sometimes, I even think Im going to see him come around the corner in his Tahoe. Previewing the 2023 college baseball season: Teams and players to watch, key storylines, Road to the men's Frozen Four: Conference tournaments at a glance, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live', Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore, Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. Beneath his feet, viewed through the Plexiglas floor, is his massive collection of autographed guitars, from Bruce Springsteen to Chet Atkins. ET Saturday at the track. Sonoma, we hit it and were pretty good. They blew an engine.' On May 12 at Darlington Raceway, Jimmie Johnson delivered Hendrick Motorsports its 200th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory, a mind-bending total. Elliott was thought to be an early contender for a seat in the historic entry, but NASCAR has a conflicting race weekend and Elliott has always said he wouldnt miss a Cup race. Harvard Business Review The career NASCAR journeyman qualified on the outside front row for the World 600 at Charlotte, one of racing's crown jewel events. NASCAR star Elliott has leg surgery after snowboard accident I think that would be a lot. If the driver was cranky, then the crew chief was downright surly. I look forward to getting to Road America and seeing if weve made gains. Kyle Busch, who started on the pole, led 84 of 134 laps to win Friday nights NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It wouldnt stop. COTA, we missed the setup and werent great and we ran 13th there. Had the penalty not been altered, Gabehart would have been at Nashville. Hendrick explained. 47 car, we knew that with these types of races we could go run well, Allmendinger said of road course racing with JTG Daugherty Racing. There's even a Twitter account titled "DarthHendrick. "You talk about how tragic and unfair it is," Hendrick said. The fans who love to loathe Hendrick -- and there are many -- point to the modern campus like bitter baseball fans point to new Yankee Stadium, the perfect example of the haves vs. the have-nots. It is black, a 2004 Z71 model. He nearly won at Circuit of the Americas before contact from Ross Chastain knocked him out of the lead on the last lap. Chases health is our primary concern, said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports in a statement from the team. But he did a complete U-turn after signing Kyle Larson for 2021. family's patriarch "Papa-Joe" earlier this year. Here's how the consummate competitor keeps his team revved up. Its hard to even put into words, especially right here with Fathers Day. Hell compete in the Xfinity Series on Saturday and the Cup race on Sunday. He then moved to the NASCAR Model Sportsman Series (now Xfinity Series), in which he earned one victory with Dale Earnhardt at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Rick Hendrick carries a piece of his son with him everywhere he goes. FAA did not confirm the incident until 5:13 p.m. Rick Hendrick also lost his brother and two nieces in the accident. "My wife said to me one time, I was going to stay home, and she said 'You're going to be just as miserable here. Jeff Gordon on Kyle Larson: "He does amazing things", Jeff Gordon on HMS: "This is where my true passion lies", HMS has always been Gordon's passion ET Saturday. For reasons he has long ago forgotten, that bucket made its way into the attic of his parents' house in Virginia. Kyle Busch (180.156) qualified 11th. This isnt just a moment, Chastain said, but this an arrival of Trackhouse.. In. In December 2000, Hendrick received a full pardon from President Bill Clinton. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. Not one was empty. This is not hyperbole. When he first started to be able to say words, they were car and race, and he wrote little poems at school about one day driving, he said. The success of Bennettsville was a precursor to the Hendrick Automotive Group, which now has over 100 franchises and 10,000 employees across 13 states. Otherwise I was going to start putting my business in jeopardy.". But every single person in there was upset.". He talks about Frank Edwards, the last remaining employee from the original five. For the first two or three years following the crash, Hendrick would see young men from time to time who looked like Ricky. The Hendrick Heritage Center is housed in a massive warehouse/office building perched on the south end of Hendrick Motorsports' sprawling 140-acre, 12-building campus in Concord, N.C. "No, I didn't build this for the public. Hendrick admitted to giving hundreds of thousands of dollars, BMW automobiles, and houses to American Honda Motor Company executives. Chastain has two wins and a series-high eight top-five finishes in 17 starts. Richard Tracy and Elizabeth Morrison were on the plane as its pilots. He didnt live all that many years, but, boy, he enjoyed himself, and he had so many friends. The Hendrick Family Foundation will consolidate the philanthropic efforts of the Hendrick organization, including Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group. Most companies could not sustain a loss of that magnitude and survive. The deal has been announced for 2024, but the AP has learned it is a two-year deal that includes the 2025 race. It cant be put into words what that meant to us, and its something that can never be taken away from us. ', "But that little girl really does look just like him. Falwells use of yacht comes under scrutiny - POLITICO In the late 1970s, Hendrick founded a drag boat racing team that won three consecutive championships, as well as setting a world record of 222.2 mph (357.6 km/h) with Nitro Fever. Who's on it? Instead, he had Geoff Bodine behind the wheel, an often-cantankerous short-track legend from upstate New York. "He had a good time while he was here. A former classmate of theirs at Charlotte Christian School recounted to The Observer how the girls went out of their way His position, in his The conditions in the surrounding area at the time were As of 2021, his team has won 271 NASCAR Cup Series races, making him the winningest team owner in NASCAR. Cole Custer (182.500) qualified third. In 1997, Hendrick pleaded guilty to mail fraud. Like the adjacent Hendrick Motorsports Museum, the amount of memorabilia on display is staggering. WS: Irwindale II: Scott Gaylord race notes, Jeff Gordon to run Porsche Carrera Cup at Indianapolis, Gordon making surprise racing return 1. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball. ', "I don't know how to answer these questions. "It was like I was with my extended family, and the love and support in that room was just overwhelming, how we all were so emotional," he said. I was renting the tools. We know that people working together can make an incredible difference for our neighbors and for our communities as a whole. I fed off of that.". The morning of that race in April, Hendrick traveled to nearby Bull Mountain and stood beneath a memorial, a cross erected among the trees. Two years later, at age 16, Hendrick won the Virginia division of the Chrysler-Plymouth Troubleshooting Contest, a two-part test consisting of a written exam and a timed hands-on diagnosis and repair of defects planted on a car. Nemechek finished 31st. Ive got a 15-year-old grandson that is a There's the Palmer Springs, Va., firehouse, complete with a full-size fire truck. 1998 season. "I got so busy and I got so focused on whatever was next, the next race, the next dealership, whatever, that I think I sometimes I lost sight of all the parts and pieces that got me there," he said. Elliott's snowboarding accident, however, happened during a physical activity, and it isnt publicly known what he can and cant do under his Hendrick contract. "Papa Joe" was there when Hendrick made the transition from racing drag boats to racing stock cars, pushed off the water after the death of his friend and boat racing legend Jimmy Wright. 9 Chevrolet on Sunday in place of Elliott. There were no survivors. "I couldn't even make myself come in here for the longest time. It's Hendrick and Matthews. But his business card reads: "Vice President of Frivolous Spending.". Then he'd work all night. A decade later, his pain is like the tide -- it ebbs and it flows, but it never stops. Standing near the top of a staircase, the most successful team owner of NASCAR's modern era grips the railing with one hand and makes a sweeping move across the room with the other. Rick Hendrick is 62, his net worth has been estimated at $200 million, and he is a grandfather. Hendrick showed, but more importantly due to the family atmosphere. Kyle Busch kicks off Las Vegas tripleheader with Truck win, RLL drivers puzzled by underperformance in St. Pete FP1, RLL drivers puzzled by underperformance in St. Pete FP1 Nashville was the final race for Gabeharts four-race suspension because a wheel came off Hamlins car at Dover. But I had to thank them and tell them I was thinking about them. After the sixth race, Hyde convinced Hendrick to do one more. NASCAR - Meet the real Rick Hendrick - espn.com Going into the media center and watching him up there on the stage talking about the race and getting questions from the media, it was so special because I can remember when he was just old enough to talk, talking about racing, he said. He A NASCAR Death Star. For those who would like to pay a tribute to the family and team, the charity of Hendrick His driver was supposed to be Richard Petty, but that deal had fallen through at the 11th hour. I never dreamed he would be this great. Scheduled for May 22 at The Fillmore in Charlotte, North Carolina, the annual charity event will benefit Be The Match, Levine Childrens Hospital and Together We Feed Charlotte. When John Hendrick took over control of the company, he admitted he knew Why? Overhead is a chandelier fashioned from the block of an engine that earned a handful of those 200 wins. Now he's the world's largest Corvette salesman. until close to 5:30 p.m. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Terry Labonte and Brian Vickers are the drivers Deegan could not continue and finished 32nd. His main private jet is a Gulfstream V with the tail number N500RH. Hyde talked Hendrick into biting the bullet and fielding the car for one more race. Even now, more than 17 years after Ricky Hendrick died in a plane crash, his father, Rick Hendrick, says its just hard to believe that it has been that long ago. Busch title. It wont be that far off for us. On that day in Atlanta in 1992, the knock on Hendrick Motorsports as a team was that they couldn't It is the size of an airplane hangar. Joe Gibbs Racing appealed the penalty and lost. Joe Jackson was on the plane. He changed this sport forever and he changed life forever. WebSince 1972, BBBS has been helping children realize their potential and build their futures in this region. One day each year, during this exact week in late October, just as the wind begins to blow colder and the air breathes crisper and the leaves explode with color, Rick Hendrick removes the cover from a Chevrolet Tahoe in his garage on the Hendrick Motorsports campus, unlocks it and drives it home. and friends. Thats one of the challenges when a crew chief is suspended. I was thrilled that we could be there together and experience it as a family. He also had been a pit crew member for the Flying 11 that Ray Hendrick (no relation) drove in the 1960s. Hendrick continued. Elliotts streak of consecutive Cup starts ends at 254 races. "I just know that the moment I saw them, something told me you've got to reassure them. Jeff Gordon on HMS: "This is where my true passion lies", Chase Elliott suffers leg injury, will miss Vegas NASCAR Cup race, Elliott sidelined by leg injury It wouldnt do anything good, and we were terrible. This will be Allmendingers ninth Cup start this season, as he shares the No. "And then he said, 'Are you by yourself?'" It was bad. Chandler Smith scored his first career Xfinity pole, posting the fastest lap in Friday nights Xfinity Series qualifying session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. , It was just if youre not a parent you cant understand, but if you are, you understand.. It is the only one of those buildings with an empty parking lot out front and the only one not filled with scrambling, pressed-shirt engineers and mechanics. Imola earmarked for first F1 qualifying experiment, FIA has no issue with Hamilton rainbow helmet at F1 Bahrain GP, FIA has no issue with Hamilton rainbow helmet at F1 Bahrain GP As Hendrick said those words, he peered across the table at his longtime publicist and chief sounding board, Jesse Essex, for confirmation of accuracy. He was Rick's brother and the president of Hendrick Motorsports. ", Tim Richmond: "I've never seen anyone do what he did with a car. Rick Hendrick Bio: Career, Net Worth, Plane Crash & Motorsports Others on board the aircraft were Joe Jackson, Jeff Turner, Randy In my case and my wifes case, we think were going to see (Ricky) again soon. His official title is Inventory Specialist -- Hendrick Performance Group. The two heartbroken fathers talk every year at this time. Thats the bright spot. With that in mind, he plays a quick game of word association with the drivers that helped him reach 200 wins. They felt honored. This time it's a fleet of Camaros. Hamilton says Mercedes a long way off pace, Ten Hag must learn from Mourinho to ensure Man United's Carabao Cup win is just the start, Betting tips for Week 26 English Premier League games and more, LIVE Transfer Talk: Bayern still keen on Kane despite new Choupo-Moting contract. Hendrick ET on FS1). Chastain noted how the victory at Circuit of the Americas changed him, particularly when the series raced at Sonoma last month. brother Rick returned. Hendrick Family Foundation to launch with annual 'Learn Live So it does make it fun because you know if your team executes and you get the setup right, you can go have a shot to win races or run upfront.. And we're going to do whatever we got to do to take care of each other. Chris Myers texted me (on Fathers Day) and we texted back and forth. attending college or if she too was involved in the family business. It's the track where he earned his first win as an owner -- a win that kept a then-fledging Hendrick Motorsports in business. Elliott, Chastain and William Byron each has a series-high 13 playoff points. That is, in fact, not true. WebJoseph Riddick " Ricky " Hendrick IV (April 2, 1980 October 24, 2004) was an American stock car racing driver and partial owner at Hendrick Motorsports, a NASCAR team that "Nobody worked any harder than my daddy did. today's race. "Look out here," he says, pointing out the window that overlooks the Hendrick Motorports campus. It was NASCAR president Mike Helton. It wouldnt drive off the corner. "'The plane's missing.'". Inside, hanging on the wall by the store counter is a black and white photo of a group of boys. The team was celebrating their 20th year in 2004. Among them were his brother John, nieces Kimberly and Jennifer, and engine builder Randy Dorton, one of the race team's original five employees. , President of Hendrick Motorsports, father of Kimberly and Jennifer; his twin daughters who were with Its something that well always cherish, being there with him and seeing him so excited to win his first race.. No one departed. Rick Hendrick Bio: Career, Net Worth, Plane Crash & Motorsports Hendrick is literally doing it, standing over cars he worked on with his father, family photos made to look like movie posters, neon signs, and an indoor drive-in movie theater. If they were OK, they'd have called. ", He regrets all the times before he told a parent how sorry he was that they'd lost a child, and that he knew how much it must hurt. Rick Hendrick Retailer: Owner of Hendrick Automotive Group, Charlotte, N.C. The pole is Buschs 23rd in the Truck Series. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. A lot of celebrities do not know what to do with their money anymore in 2022. "And when I saw the people, I said, 'This place is going to go on, and we're going to take care of each other. Ricky Henderick, 24, a former Busch series and NCTS driver until his retirement at an early age due to a race-related injury, was being groomed to eventually He was part of a crash in the season-opening Daytona 500. Why do it anymore?' "I remember the first race I fielded a Cup car. "But you get to a certain point in your life where you start losing people. And he has many stories, which provide uplifting moments for Rick Hendrick and his family. Another was snapped in 1987, at the Daytona 500. Engineer Sam McAulay served as the crew chief with Gabehart out. With five full-time employees and 5,000 square feet (460 m2) of workspace, he fielded one NASCAR Winston Cup team. I told him that last night. I think more realistically, if we can be a top five or fringe top-five, top-10 car or organization, then I will deem Road America a success and try to get better going to Indy.. Ricky parked the vehicle just before noon and boarded a Beechcraft Super King Air 200 with nine other people. He still sees them sometimes. So, he missed the Coca-Cola 600, which Hamlin won, Gateway, Sonoma and Nashville. That night he was standing in Bodine's yard, covering the trees in toilet paper. A lot of people say, 'What for? XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Theres nothing in the world that makes you any happier than to see a child, yours, achieve something that they want, Rick Hendrick said. I was renting the damn parts! For more information, read our. for the Hendrick Motorsports stable. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. He does not verbalize it. Now when he walks the grid, all eyes are on him. It was Hendrick Motorsports vice president Ken Howes. He knows exactly where he was. He does not verbalize it. Ricky Hendrick, here talking to Brian Vickers when he was a Hendrick Motorsports driver in the Busch Series, was being groomed to take over HMS as his father, Rick Hendrick, stepped back from daily operations. ", Jimmie Johnson: "I've known him since he was 16. Hendrick told the story of his return to the racetrack after the plane crash. To get there, you turn onto Stowe from Morehead Road and ease right around a 90-degree corner and down a steep hill. He also had a single start in both the Busch Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. "To be honest, I have a hard time even comprehending that," Hendrick confesses. I'd much rather have the pain.". He gushes about the pleasure of helping drivers earn career firsts, recalling a time when Jimmy "Smut" Means stepped in for Richmond, who was in the midst of his battle with AIDS. Hamlin restarted 14th. The Xfinity race is scheduled to take the green flag at 4:49 p.m. He owns a house in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.. Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon & Chase Elliott, Yes, father of: Ricky Hendrick & Lynn Carlson. Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture, How F1's comeback merchant can make a lasting impression at Haas, How F1's comeback merchant can make a lasting impression at Haas Where is it? boss Rick Hendrick, driver Jeff Gordon In 2001, Ricky Hendrick Rick and Lindas late son found Victory Lane in the NASCAR Truck Series for his first career win. In 1997, Hendrick began the Hendrick Marrow Program, a non-profit works with the Be The Match Foundation to support the National Marrow Donor Program. My best friend. I I built this for my family and in tribute to my family," he says as he begins to walk the floor, running his hands over his all-time favorite car, a 1967 Corvette Roadster. Josh Berry (182.168) qualified fifth. That group was supposed to Ricky's by now. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. He is the father of the late Ricky Hendrick, a former NASCAR driver, who died in a plane crash in 2004 along with other members of the Hendrick family and Hendrick Motorsports crew members. We're going to get through this.' "I went up there, I remember just how emotional it was, how hard it was just to try to talk. Berry is a two-time winner in the Xfinity series at Las Vegas and is the defending Xfinity winner. along with his three teammates, was told about the crash after the checkered flag. "And I go up there and I look at the cross. On Oct. 21, 2014, Hendrick Motorsports held a celebration on the racing campus in remembrance of the lives lost in that crash. 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